Practically Practical Particle Physics

Just as a pendulum regulates a mechanical clock, Rhythmedics Pendulum helps to regulate your body’s internal clock. Typically worn on a necklace like a pendant, Pendulum uses both position sensing and activity monitoring to determine what your Circadian Rhythm should be. A Fibonacci Frequency Quartz Crystal and a microcomputer generate precise Bio-Pulses to gently reestablish your body’s natural rhythms throughout the day and night in response to your own body. Pendulum interrupts potentially harmful ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI) while working to restore the body’s natural Circadian Rhythm. Pendulum will operate continuously for more than a week on its internal power source and can be recharged overnight using a standard USB port.

BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics robots. It is a rough-terrain robot that walks, runs, climbs and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by an engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog has four legs that are articulated like an animal’s, with compliant elements to absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule; about 3 feet long, 2.5 feet tall and weighs 240 lbs.
MOre info here: http://www.bostondynamics.com/robot_bigdog.html

Jen Hui Liao’s Self-Portrait Machine is a device that takes a picture of the sitter and draws it but with the model’s help. The wrists of the individual are tied to the machine and it is his or her hands that are guided to draw the lines that will eventually form the portrait.

SoundSense can recognize completely unfamiliar sounds, and it also runs entirely on the device. SoundSense automatically classifies sounds as “voice,” “music,” or “ambient noise.” If a sound is repeated often enough or for long enough, SoundSense gives it a high “sound rank” and asks the user to confirm that it is significant and offers the option to label the sound.

Google just dropped a bombshell this week, and Microsoft is feeling the flop sweat beginning to drip at the back of its corporate neck. After months of hints, the search giant announced its Chrome operating system would be ready to go by the middle of next year. The news holds considerable clout coming from a huge company with deep pockets. Google is in the midst of designing an OS specifically created for the Web. And the Web is everything.

Apple, Nokia, Samsung, and others have agreed to adopt a charging standard for “data-enabled” mobile devices based on USB. The current agreement only applies to the European Union, though it is hoped that the standard may be adopted worldwide.

In a blog post, Westergren indicated that the new agreement can be implemented without major changes in Pandora’s pricing scheme. If the experience of other companies is similar, then webcasters may have gained the breathing room needed to develop into an essential component of the music business.